With 18 wins, Jeff Burton enters the 2007 season as the Nextel Cup full-time driver with the most victories without a championship. Credit: Autostock

Johnson passes 'best without a title' to whom?

Jimmie Johnson's Nextel Cup championship finally put an end to what had become annual fodder for this time of year: Is Johnson destined to become the next Mark Martin?

Mark Martin is widely considered the best driver of the Modern Era never to win a Cup title. From every year beginning in 1989 and running through 2000, Martin finished in the top 10 in points. Only two drivers since 1972 -- Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip -- had a longer streak.

Inside the Numbers The best not to win a Cup Jeff Burton   No. Avg./start Starts 439 -- Wins 18 24.4 Top-5s 101 4.3 Top-10s 176 2.5 Dale Earnhardt Jr.   No. Avg./start Starts 255 -- Wins 17 15.0 Top-5s 69 3.7 Top-10s 109 2.3 Kevin Harvick   No. Avg./start Starts 214 -- Wins 10 21.4 Top-5s 45 4.7 Top-10s 86 2.5 Ryan Newman   No. Avg./start Starts 188 -- Wins 12 15.6 Top-5s 54 3.5 Top-10s 83 2.3 Greg Biffle   No. Avg./start Starts 150 -- Wins 11 13.6 Top-5s 30 5.0 Top-10s 50 3.0

Three times during that 12-year run Martin was runner-up. He finished second a fourth time in 2002, and is one of only three drivers -- Johnson and Matt Kenseth are the others -- to make the Chase all three years.

The new format did little to improve Martin's chances -- he finished fourth in each of the first two years of the Chase and struggled to a ninth-place finish this year.

Johnson, a two-time runner-up (2003-04) headed into the 2005 season finale at Homestead in second place, 52 points behind Tony Stewart. But a blown tire and scrape with the wall ended his hopes of catching Stewart. He finished fifth.

Johnson again faced that lingering question.

"I wish that I was a champion," Johnson lamented after the season. "I'm showing up every day and giving 100 percent and I know my team is. We'll just keep plugging away. It's got to happen sooner or later."

It did in 2006, leaving the rite of offseason office barb pointed at the next in line. Question is, who currently is the best driver not to win a Cup championship?

Despite being ranked in the top 10 in points every week this season except for the opener at Daytona (11th), Martin's time has passed. Martin ended his long association with Roush Racing and will -- for the time being -- compete on a limited basis for Ginn Racing.

Besides, Martin went winless this year for the third time since 2001 and hasn't had more than one victory per season this decade. And since NASCAR chairman Brian France has indicated victories will be awarded with higher point totals in 2007, finishing first takes on added significance.

Of the current full-time drivers with at least 150 career starts, five names stand out: Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle.

Of those five Burton has the longest service time and most wins (18). But 2007 just might be Junior's year.

Earnhardt has 17 career victories -- as many as six in 2004 -- and enjoyed a comeback year after finishing 19th in points in 2005. His relationship with cousin and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. restored, Earnhardt finished fifth in points, his third top-five in the past four years.

"I am excited about 2007 ... we have so much to look forward to," Earnhardt said following the season finale at Homestead. "I just have a tremendous team behind me.

"We just have to maintain a great positive attitude going in through this offseason; just get some work done, get some good cars built and put it to them next year."

Joking JuniorJunior is glad the speech is over Ready to BreakKevin Harvick ready for the break of the season Happy to be BackJeff Burton meets his expectations this season in the Chase Looking aheadKahne looks to improve his view of Championship week in '07 Kyle BuschKyle Busch tells us that he can't wait for next year NASCAR TodayMark Martin talks about his racing plans for 2007 Garage PassRoush Racing to have new faces in 2007 season Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Since 2002, which serves as a statistical starting point given it was Johnson's first full year, Newman has as many wins (12) as Earnhardt, although eight came in one season. Furthermore, Newman is currently going through was Junior went through last offseason.

After four consecutive years of finishing in the top 10, Newman slumped to 18th this year. He went winless for the first time in his five seasons, and next year will try to rebound with possibly a new crew chief, as Matt Borland is on a leave of absence.

"He's someone that needs to be a part of this team," Newman said of Borland. "Matt always has done a great job."

Biffle's numbers are skewed somewhat by his 2005 season, leaving a bigger question: Which is the real Greg Biffle?

Biffle in 2006 was closer to the Biffle in 2003-04 than he was in 2005, when he led the Cup Series in wins and finished second in points, his only top-10 year. In fact, Biffle scored six of his career 11 victories in 2005, 15 of his 30 top-fives and 21 of his 50 top-10s.

Biffle fell off to two wins, eight top-fives and 15 top-10s in 2006, and it will be up to former Martin crew chief Pat Tryson to improve upon that after team owner Jack Roush announced Tryson would move to the 16 team.

"We have an opportunity in front of us to pair a champion driver with a crew chief that has proven to be a championship level crew chief," Roush said. "Pat Tryson and a number of members of the No. 6 Roush Racing team have shown that they can run for a championship every year.

Inside the Numbers Selected drivers since 2002 Driver St. W T-5 T-10 D. Earnhardt Jr. 180 12 57 88 R. Newman 180 12 52 81 J. Burton 180 1 20 57 K. Harvick 179 8 39 70 G. Biffle 150 11 30 50 K. Kahne 108 7 30 41 C. Edwards 85 4 24 43 Ky. Busch 78 3 19 31

"Greg Biffle has two championships [Busch and Trucks] under his belt and I believe that pairing him with Tryson will be the best prospect for the two of them to run for the championship in 2007."

Harvick doubled his career win total in 2006 with five as part of Richard Childress Racing's resurgence. RCR addressed its engine problems before the season and it paid off with both Harvick and Burton making the Chase for the first time. But both drivers experienced engine failure in the Chase, indicating more work needs to be done.

"We have to take that step next year and get just a little bit better," Harvick said.

Of the drivers with three years of experience or less, Kasey Kahne won a series-high six races in 2006. Kyle Busch also made his first Chase, although he struggled and finished 10th. And Carl Edwards has four victories and 43 top-10s in just 85 starts.

But with the way Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart run week in and week out, it might be a while before the next first-time champion is crowned.